Combined brace and tie rod for concrete forms



March 11, 1924; 1,4 6,147

T. KELLY COMBINED BRACE AND TIE ROD FOR CONCRETE FORMS Filed Mai-ch 28. 1923 1 I7 l! I 5 I I I I.

I I8 720m an if e21 A TTORNEYJ Patented Mar. ll, 192 1.

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THOM'AS KELLY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

COMBINED BRACE AND TIE ROD FOR CONCRETE FOB/MS.

Application filed March 28, 1923.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS KELLY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Ouyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Combined Braces and Tie Rods for Concrete Forms, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present improved device is designed more particularly for use in the erection of forms for casting or molding monolithic concrete structures, such as walls and the like, wherein forms of various kinds are employed, the parts of which require to be temporarily secured in place and are then taken down after the J concrete has sufficiently set. Thus in building walls, abutmcnts and the like, such forms ordinarily consist of a series of planks which are placed on edge one above the other so as to define a space of the required dimensions into which the concrete in plastic state is then poured. It is important that such planks or equivalent forms should be readily removable when they have fulfilled their func-. tion without damage either to the concrete in course of setting or to themselves, if such forms are to be used over again.

The object of the invention accordingly is to provide a simple andcompact device for thus securing in place forms" of the kind described whether used in the construction of walls, floors, ceilings, sidewalks, roadways or any structure adapted to be made of-concrete by pouring the same into a temporary form or mold.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in Serial No. 628,208.

which the principle of theinvention may be used. 1 r

In said annexeddrawingst- Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse section through a composite form of the type ordinarily used in constructing concrete walls, etc, my improved combination brace and tie rod being shown as in use to retain the parts of the form in proper place; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on larger scale (approximately full size) of one end of such combination tie rod and brace as applied to the adjacent form part; Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of the same, the plane of such section being indicated by the line 33, Fig. 2;.Fig. 4 is a sectional detail on the same plane as Fig. 2, but showing the parts of the device in a different operative condition; and Fig. 5 is a view, similar to that of Fig. 1, but showing the adaptation of the device for use in sustaining a horizon-- tally instead of a vertically extending: form, specifically a form for molding concrete about a horizontal beam or the like. I

Where, as illustrated in Fig. 1, a series of vertically superposed planks 1 is re-v quired to be held in place, a corresponding series of vertically spaced devices will be employed, each consisting of a transversely disposed rod 2 and a pair of suitable keepers or looks whereby the ends of such rod are ture l just large enough to easily admit the corresponding end of a rod 2. The latter, it will be noted, is formed with a transverse notch or recess 5 that is adapted to be engaged by an offset projection 6 on a dog or keeper 7 pivotally mounted in the housing about a transverse axis 8. Such dog tated into position where the projection 6 will interlock with the notch 5 in such rod end. In order to retain the housing and.

keeper thus in looking position, a bolt 10 isv employed which is threaded at, both, ends, the inner end being adapted to engage; the aperture 9 in said; keeper, while the. outer endafter passing through an aperturell in the plankpasses through an apertured plate or washer 12 and'is engaged in a nut 13, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The aperturell in the plank is preferably located. near one edge thereof so that both such housing 3 and, plate or washer 12 will overlie the joint between such plank and the edge of the adjacent plank,

When the form is erected, as illustrated in Fig, 1, aconsiderable degree of rigidity is imparted thereto by the employment of my improved locking means particularly since, as will be observed, the rods 2 are held in the respectivehousings 3 against endwise movement in either direction. In other words, they serve both as tie rods and braces to hold-theplanks or equivalent side members of, the form, in. proper place.

When it is desired to remove the component parts of the form, the nuts 18 are loosened and removed, along with the washers, 12, from the outer. ends of bolts 10. The inner ends of such bolts, however, remain in threaded engagement with the corresponding keepers 7, and the latter are thus. in turn held in looking engagement with the ends of rods 2 until the planks l are actually removed for until such. removal occurs, the. keepers cannot rock on their axes 8. However, after the keepers arethus disengaged the housings 3, due to their term, may be readily withdrawn from the concrete structure and likewise the rods 2, unless. it be preferred to leave them remain in such structure; The recesses formed. in the surface of theconcrete-by the housings, may then, if desired, be plastered. over so, as to leave a smooth surface.

Insteadof being employed merely to secure together vertically superposed I form parts, box or trough-like form .may be suspended from a beam 15 by employing angulaily bent, rods 1. 6 instead. of the straightrods 2, ,the upperends of such rods hooking over such beam, while their lower ends project outwardly and are notched for engagement by the keepers located in the respective housings 3 just as before. The form in this case will comprise two side members 17 and, a bottom member 18 that is interlocked with said side members so that it will drop out when the latter are removed. Numerous other adaptations of the device will readily suggest themselves where forms of difiereut kinds from the two illustrated are to be erected. The device is extremely. simple and compact in its construction, cannot be jammed by the concrete and yet cannot be unlocked until the form, parts, to which it is attached, havebeen first taken down. Finally, the entire device including thev rods, except where of the special construction as shown in. Fig. 5, may be entirely removed. 7

Other modes of applying the principlesof my invention be employed-instead of the oneiexplained, change being made as regards the. mechanism herein disclosed, rovided-the means stated by any of the following claims orthe equivalentv of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly; point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a. device of the character described, the combination with a, rod; of a lock adapted to secure an end of such rod to the wall of a form or the, like,;such lock including a housing, a keeper movably mounted-therein, said keeper:- and such rod.- end being formed for locking inter-engagement in one position. of said keeper, and positively acting means for maintaining said keeper in such position.

2. In a device oi the character described, the combination with av rodgof a lock anaptedv to secure an end of such, rod to the wall of "form or the'like,=-such lock including. a housing, a keeper movably mounted therein, said kee 1 er and such rodend being formed for locking inter-engage ment in one position of said keeper, and-a bolt adapted to pass through the adjacent to "in-wall an dto have threaded engagement with said keeper,v whereby the latter may be maintained, in such rod-interengaging position. i

3. In a device of" the. character described, the combination with a rod; of a lock adapt ed to secure anend of such rod to the wall of a form or the like, such lock including a housing open, atone. end andprovided at the other with an aperture adaptedto admit such rod end, keeper pivotally mounted in the open end of said housing, said'keeper and suchrod-end being formed: with locking elements adapted to, inter-engage when saidkeepenlies ,wholly within Lsaid, house ing, and means adaptedto secure the latter against the form-Wall so as to maintain said keeper in such position.

4:. In a device of the character described, the combination with a rod; of a 100k adapted to secure an end of such rod to the Wall of a form or the like, such lock including a housing open at one end and provided at the other with an aperture adapted to admit such rod-end, a keeper pivotally mounted in the open end of said housing,

said keeper and such rod-end being'iormed With locking elements adapted to inter-engage When said keeper lies Wholly Within said housing, and a bolt adapted to pass through the adjacent form-Wall and to have threaded engagement with said keeper whereby the latter may be maintained in such rod-interengaging position.

Signed by me, this 26th day of March, 20

THOMAS KELLY, 

